as in shrimp
a person of no importance or influence
the magazine's editor in chief was notorious for treating staffers as insects, often not even bothering to learn their names
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of insects
Though the scent can deter mosquitoes, beneficial insects like bees, lacewings, and butterflies love the tiny flowers.
—
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
23 June 2026
When the weather is severe, many insects want to come inside to find water or stay safe.
—
Eva Flowe
june 23,
Charlotte Observer,
23 June 2026
Flapping flight dominates the airborne movements of flying insects, but birds can also glide and soar.
—
Literary Hub,
22 June 2026
The color yellow attracts yellow jackets and other pollinating insects, so the all-red design increases your chances of attracting hummingbirds and discourages bees and wasps from staking claim over the sweet nectar.
—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 June 2026
Around 2 million bees are believed to have escaped from the trailer, according to KBTX, after the driver carrying 50,000 pounds of the insects failed to complete a turn and spilled the load, radio station KOGT reported.
—
Gabrielle Rockson,
PEOPLE,
22 June 2026
Winged insects were held inside two bottles of vermouth at this Japanese restaurant.
—
Rashad Alexander,
Kansas City Star,
22 June 2026
Benefits of Using Orange Peels Orange peels are useful in the garden to enrich compost, repel insects, and disinfect tools.
—
Lee Wallender,
The Spruce,
22 June 2026
Even more frightening, the percentage exceeded 50% in many groups, including insects, terrestrial vertebrates, and marine species.
—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
21 June 2026
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
23 June 2026
When the weather is severe, many insects want to come inside to find water or stay safe.
—
Eva Flowe
june 23,
Charlotte Observer,
23 June 2026
Flapping flight dominates the airborne movements of flying insects, but birds can also glide and soar.
—
Literary Hub,
22 June 2026
The color yellow attracts yellow jackets and other pollinating insects, so the all-red design increases your chances of attracting hummingbirds and discourages bees and wasps from staking claim over the sweet nectar.
—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 June 2026
Around 2 million bees are believed to have escaped from the trailer, according to KBTX, after the driver carrying 50,000 pounds of the insects failed to complete a turn and spilled the load, radio station KOGT reported.
—
Gabrielle Rockson,
PEOPLE,
22 June 2026
Winged insects were held inside two bottles of vermouth at this Japanese restaurant.
—
Rashad Alexander,
Kansas City Star,
22 June 2026
Benefits of Using Orange Peels Orange peels are useful in the garden to enrich compost, repel insects, and disinfect tools.
—
Lee Wallender,
The Spruce,
22 June 2026
Even more frightening, the percentage exceeded 50% in many groups, including insects, terrestrial vertebrates, and marine species.
—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
21 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insects
Noun
-
Consider a dashboard that shows applications, including keys and libraries; network traffic protocols and ciphers; hardware, such as HSMs and TPMs; and third-party dependencies, including cryptographic or software bills of materials.
-
As zonky cross-generational ciphers go, the group’s debut, Strictly 4 the Scythe, is no Hypnotize Camp Posse, the amalgam of Three 6 Mafia and a grip of artists signed to their Hypnotize Minds label in the early 2000s.
Noun
-
Jupiter, by comparison, is as much as 35 times denser than these two lightweights.
-
The card will also feature several other San Diego-area boxers, including super lightweights Daniel Morales (8-0, 5 KOs) and Angel Juan Estrada (12-1-1, 9 KOs).
Noun
-
Despite the tragicomic instability and the rotating cast of nobodies temporarily tasked with running the country, when seen in macroeconomic terms, Peru appears to be doing just fine, thank you.
-
Seattle’s John Schneider and New England’s Eliot Wolf rose up from young nobodies to graduate from Green Bay Packers University, too.
Noun
-
Brown dwarfs are weird objects that have masses that are intermediate between those of giant planets and small stars.
-
Writer Steve Phillips’ investments in the race dwarfs spending by any other single donor.
Cite this Entry
“Insects.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insects. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
